Arsenic and Old Lace
by Pam in pastels
Summary: What if things had happened differently for Adele Stackhouse?
1. Chapter 1

A/N: OK so I know I've got four stories I've been trying to finish, but this idea came to me. I don't think this possibility has yet been covered. After reading please let me know if it has. Please don't kill me for beginning another story when I've already got so many. I hope that this idea meets with your approval. The first chapter is going to be described from Bill's POV, but that doesn't mean he's the main character exactly, just important.

Bill's POV:

I couldn't describe the exact mixture of feelings that wound their way through my system.

The meeting inside the church had gone well. I felt a small bit of relief that nobody had tried anything rash as that would only serve to set my cause back by quite a few years.

This small impoverished place is my home. The fertile land that I once reaped sustenance from was now the same dirt that I slept in. There was something poetic and sentimental about that. It was the first thing I tasted when I crawled out of the grave Lorena had dug for me.

After I had thoroughly recollected my life to the citizens of Bon Temps, they removed themselves from their seats to enjoy refreshments and some tidbits that a few of the older ladies had specially prepared for the occasion.

I took in the milling about of the people around me.

One younger woman silently crunched away at a chocolate chip cookie with both hands. It was rather reminiscent of the way a rodent would eat and it would be terribly funny if she hadn't been simultaneously eye-fucking me.

Somebody had opened up the front door of the church to let in a little night air. I was quite thankful for this change as the combined odors of all present were a constant barrage to my senses. I had drunk two True Bloods before I arrived, but the hammering pulses were starting to call to me. I couldn't stay here any longer.

Mrs. Stackhouse had left almost a half hour ago so there weren't any other acquaintances left. I really would need to find some way to thank her for allowing me the chance to tell my story. I had sensed an upward trend on my approval ratings in Bon Temps. I was now seen as not just a vampire, but a dedicated soldier, a husband, a father, a friend. I couldn't really agree with the kind face that they saw.

It was all just some façade. While I had tried desperately to hold onto my humanity, I had done horrible things because at the time I thought it might be fun. My appetite had only recently stabilized in the last decades. I could go without blood for a week if I had to.

Even after the great revelation, it may become necessary to go on the run again. Things are never as stable as they seem.

As pleased as I was by the acceptance of most of the gathered party, there was only one that I fervently sought to win over: Sookie Stackhouse. There was certainly something about the bar maid that caused her to be entirely alluring without even trying. The taste of her blood wasn't the only factor in my attraction to her. It certainly helped I must say, but she was pure, fiery, sweet. These were qualities that made me want to corrupt her. I wanted to possess her.

The fact that she had decided to avoid me has made my job very difficult. The queen demanded that I groom her to be an obedient pet. That could be a very lengthy process. I didn't doubt that this stubborn little Southern Belle would fight me tooth and nail to remain independent. I don't look forward to breaking her, but it will have to be done.

I bitterly considered how well I had learned how to break someone by the way Lorena had broken me. She deprived me of my family and made me dependent on her. She tortured me if I was disobedient and I came to I truly hate her. Something inside me did not want to bridle and break Sookie's spirit, but in the end I feared Sophie-Anne's retribution far more than I did that of some woman I barely knew.

I would have to consider every angle. I must continue to try wooing her as that may be the only way to earn her trust. I hoped for both our sakes that she would succumb to my advances before I have to resort to rash measures.

Sookie could not be turned because her gift might not make the transition. As much as I desired her, I did not wish to burden myself with creating a bond between us. I was filled with enough self-loathing without needing to feel anybody else loathing me. I also didn't want her to know my emotions as it would be a strain to keep up the charade.

I drove back to my home in silence, wishing for some peace to collect my thoughts and formulate a plan. Perhaps I had not thoroughly ruminated on the benefits of a blood bond with Sookie? It would be fairly easy to make her acquiesce to my wishes and I would have a legitimate claim on her. To have such a fine vintage at my disposal nightly would be lovely, not to mention the fact that it was virginal. Furthermore, Sophie Anne would have to keep me near her, as my well being would be closely tied to that of her asset's. Anything that happened to me could potentially harm Miss Stackhouse.

I could feel a smile start to form on my face at the look of absolute consternation that my queen would give me when I brought Sookie to court as my bonded.

Yes, there could be some drawbacks, but I was starting to see that it was a wise decision in order to keep my place in vampire hierarchy cemented.

I was turning onto Hummingbird Lane when I saw an unfamiliar truck parked in the trees. I pulled over and stepped out of the car to listen for anybody nearby. The moment I sampled the air I could smell the overwhelming scent of blood. Though from this distance it was impossible to know whose blood it was. I chided myself internally at the possibility that Sookie had been attacked yet again, even if it did serve as an opportunity to give her more of my blood. I ran at vampire speed to reach the house in time to hear her scream. Sookie stood at the entrance to her kitchen, sobbing uncontrollably. As soon as I stood next to her I could see why.

Adele Stackhouse lay in a crumpled heap on the linoleum floor, the pool of blood quickly growing around her. It had been a recent attack as I could sense the small flicker of life in her, though her eyes were already unseeing.

Sookie grabbed hold of me and cried on my shirt. "Bill", she blubbered between great gulps of air. I held her close and ran my fingers through her blonde tresses. She started to calm down a little so she could talk.

"Bill, Gran's dead." I shook my head and Sookie's head snapped up to meet my eyes.

"She's not dead yet?" I nodded my head once. "Yes, but I would say she has a minute maybe two at most left. Her pulse is slowing down."

Sookie looked to the woman she held dearest on the floor then back to me with a look of determination and hope. "Can you save her?"

"Sookie, with the blood she's lost, it might turn her." I held her shoulders away from me, trying to make Sookie understand the consequences.

"I don't care . . . please just save her." Without any further prompting I knelt next to Adele Stackhouse, carefully cradling her body in my lap while I bit my wrist. I brought it to her lips and began to pour the first draught into her mouth. I could feel her heartbeat speed up once again as she started to come back to life. I reopened the wound on my wrist and put it back to her waiting lips. She opened her eyes, fear and recognition quickly passing through them.

Seconds later, her eyes closed as I could feel her heartbeat slow once more. She took her last breath and I whispered silently, "I'm sorry Adele." I held her close, hoping that she would forgive me someday for what I had done.

A/N: Soooo, I'm guess I'm feeling a little bit sheepish at this point. I would really appreciate some reviews to reassure me I'm not insane for doing this. Next chapter will be Adele's POV. Love, PIP.


	2. Chapter 2

I awoke to darkness, taking in the scent of the damp earth around me. I remembered I had gone home to get a head start on the wash last night when I found one of Sookie's work shirts a bloody heap in the garbage. It alarmed me to say the least. She didn't seem to be injured at all so it must have been somebody else's blood. I had a feeling that Mr. Compton was behind all this and I made up my mind to wait up for Sookie to give her a stern talking to.

I know she's a grown woman who's allowed to sort out her own affairs, but she's also very trusting. Her ability might serve as an advantage in the human world, but it seems it can't help her with vampires. She's tickled pink about it and I suppose that she should be. After all these years of having to listen to the inner prattle of all the people around her, she deserves peace.

I had just sat down at the kitchen table with one of my romance novels and a tall glass of sweet tea, when I heard the sound of boots scuffing my good hardwood floors. I turned around to glare at Jason for not minding my warnings, when I saw a man in the same work boots and shirt with the Renard Parish road worker emblem, but it wasn't Jason.

This man had dark hair and stood about a foot shorter. The first thing I noticed about him though was the wild look in his eyes. If I remembered correctly, his name was Rene. He was one of Jason's friends on the road crew. I worried he might be here to say that Jason had gotten himself into more trouble.

"Rene, what's wrong? Has something happened to Jason? I just saw him at the meeting in church."

"Where's Sookie?" He spoke without an accent. Now that struck me as an odd question. I looked down to see he was carrying his belt in his hands. His pants were unbuttoned with the zipper half-way down. My sense of propriety kicked in immediately.

"Rene you look like you were in the middle of getting dressed when you rushed over here. Why don't you clean yourself up in the bathroom? I'm sure Sookie will be home soon."

"Fangbanging whore." He uttered it like a compulsion.

"Excuse me?" I was starting to think of the shotgun in the front hall closet and how I might have to use it if this man got any further out of line.

"Slut fucking that vampire, spreading her legs for a dead man." His eyes had floated down to the floor, but he was inching closer to me. The shotgun was too far away. I'd have to get past Rene to get to it. My eyes settled on one of my good meat carving knives. I drew it out from the block and held it like I knew how to use it.

"Get out of my house! You got no business being here so you take that foul language out of here!" I yelled at him while holding the knife aloft. When he kept coming towards me I slashed the knife in front of me. "Stay back!" I hadn't noticed I had cut his chest until he looked down and let out a feral howl. I could see now there was no humanity left in those eyes. I moved behind one of the kitchen chairs to put some distance between us. He looked at me with such raw hatred that I started to shake horribly. He didn't say anything, just growled as he lunged toward me. I stepped back away from the chair that he easily threw to the side. As he started to come towards me again, I slashed wildly in front of me, trying to fend off this wild beast of a man.

His fist make contact with my chest and I felt the wind knocked out of me. It was enough time for him to snatch the knife out of my hands. The first stab just missed my right collar bone and I screamed as much as a woman my age could scream. He smiled an awful smile, white teeth gleaming.

He raised the knife again and I tried to stop it with my hands, but the cuts went straight to the bone and I fell over. He kept stabbing viciously at me while kneeling on top of me. I could feel the strain in his jeans and I kneed him in the groin, but it just made him angrier and he kept stabbing with the derided gaze of a rabid dog.

I lost consciousness after a couple of minutes; the pain had been too much to bear.

I had a dream that an angel came from heaven and knelt next to me. He picked my weary body up off the floor and set me in his lap. I thought a silent prayer. _Now I lay me down to sleep. I pray the Lord my soul to keep. If I shall die before I wake, I pray the Lord my soul to take._

A/N: Hey, sorry if this was kind of a rough chapter. You know Gran wouldn't go down without a fight.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for it taking so long for this update. I'm trying something new as far as my writing method goes. Usually I just write however much I can and post it right then. I guess that's the procrastinating college student in me, always waiting for inspiration. This chapter is quite a bit longer than my usual updates, but I hope that it doesn't seem like the product of weeks of occasional updates. I must warn you this is going to be another rough chapter. Sorry.

Sookie POV:

Gran was dead and buried in the ground. I knew I would have to live to see this day, but I didn't think it would come so soon. Bill said that she would rise in three night's time as a vampire, but he didn't tell me where she was. He had hidden the location of her body from me that night, telling me instead to focus on getting her house back to its normal pristine condition, while he dug her grave.

That was definitely the distraction that I had needed. I put so much elbow grease into every little detail. I sopped up the blood, making sure to get all the little splatters on the appliances and even on the ceiling. I wondered what Gran would say when she came home. Would she be able to come home at all? I wouldn't know until I asked Bill tonight. All I could do was keep on cleaning. I vacuumed and dusted and washed clothes until tendrils of sunlight peeked through the freshly laundered lace curtains of the kitchen.

I decided to take a coffee break around seven. There was no way that I would be getting any sleep anytime soon. Each time I closed my eyes I saw Gran lying in a puddle of her own blood. The thought of a psychopathic freak hovering over her, watching her die slowly, made me sick. Oh shit. How could I have been so stupid? The monster that caused all this was still out there. Bill had said he was sure that the murderer had come to kill me, but found Gran instead. It made me angry that, whoever he was, he wanted to kill me for even speaking to (and maybe being attracted to) a vampire. None of this made any sense, which could only make me fear this unknown entity even more.

I had seen some of those hate-riddled thoughts that had no sequence or semblance of rationality. Some of the people who patronized Merlotte's may have acted sweet as pie and tipped well, but their thoughts could be real horrifying to read. Sometimes they were about the perverse things they thought would be exhilarating to do. Tying their spouses up or choking somebody out. Dawn and Maudette had been strangled to death. The killer had probably planned on doing the same to me.

My fingers brushed along the vein in my neck before returning to the death grip I had on my mug.

I suddenly felt very isolated. Even with all the sunlight that made hiding impossible, I didn't think the killer would care about really surprising me anymore. I walked to the front hall closet and pulled out Grandaddy Earl's shotgun. I checked it to make sure it was loaded and ready to put a hole through the son of a bitch who thought he could kill my friends and family and come back to pick me off. No siree, I wasn't going to sit around and wait for this guy to come to me; at least not until I had some backup with me.

I decided I had some errands I needed to run. The biggest one would involve informing Jason that Gran was brutally murdered and then brought over by Mr. Bill Compton. Jeez, that was going to be difficult. Bill already was on Jason's shit list. I figured the best thing to do would be to tell Jason when he was eating. I didn't want to stay in my house in case the murderer decided to come calling. There was a fifty percent chance that Jason would make a scene at Merlotte's, but I wasn't going to find any food at Jason's. I could call him up and arrange an impromptu barbeque. I had already started planning what to serve as sides to distract myself from the inevitable conversation we would be having.

He picked up after the second ring. "Hello?" Jason was sounding less confident and on edge these days. It could have something to do with being accused of being a serial killer.

"Hey Jase. Sorry for calling so early. I was wondering whether you wanted me to come over and fix us some dinner?"

"Yeah, sure Sook. Is Gran coming over too?" I knew he was asking because he didn't want the house to be a mess if Gran was coming over

"Um, she's going to be eating out with a friend tonight."

"Oh, ok well sure it's fine if you want to do the sides, I'll get some ribs and get a rub going."

"That sounds great. Does six work for you?"

"Six sounds fine. Bye Sook." Click.

Well that little phone conversation was a piece of cake compared to what tonight would be like. I think I would make cornbread, coleslaw and mashed potatoes for side dishes. I would get the groceries before I headed over to Jason's. All the rest of the stuff would be there. We had agreed that if I was cooking him food, he would make sure that I had all the utensils, pots, pans and basic ingredients that I needed at his house so I didn't have to bring it all over from Gran's.

Next on the list of errands to keep me busy was a trip to Merlotte's to tell Sam I would need to switch some of my more lucrative night shifts for day shifts this next week. I wanted to be able to be around for Gran if she needed me.

I didn't really need to do that in person, but I would take any excuse not to be isolated. I quickly made sure all the windows and doors were shut and locked tight. The window screen to my room had been slashed open intentionally. It gave me the chills knowing somebody had been in my room. Nothing seemed different, but I went around making sure everything was in its rightful place.

I grabbed my keys and purse and dashed out the door, making sure that it was securely locked behind me. I jumped in the car and put the key in the ignition. Instead of hearing the old engine roar to life it sounded like a tiny muffled squeaking. That sure as hell wasn't a good sign. My car was sounding fine when I drove home from work last night. I popped the hood to find that some wires had been intentionally cut. I could feel the shivers start again, this time accompanied by my heart beating out of my chest.

I tried to think of anybody that would be willing to lend me their car until I could get this one fixed up. I came up empty. You didn't make too many friends as a telepath and not many of those friends had a car to spare. I ran back to the house, put my shotgun down on the kitchen table while I perused the phone book for a cheap auto repair shop. My eyes were drawn to an ad stating "Dawson & Son Towing and Auto Repair Shop" in bold cursive font.

I dialed the number dreading how much of my paycheck would be going to this particular repair. The man who answered had a deep, gravelly sounding voice that reminded me of the pitch of a coffee grinder.

"Thanks for calling Dawson and Son Towing and Auto Repair Shop. This is Tray."

"Well hi there Tray. My name is Sookie Stackhouse and I was having some trouble getting my car started this morning. I was wondering if you could come by to have a look at it and give me a quote today?"

"Sure, if you give me your address, I could bring my truck over to check it out, see what the problem might be. I can't guarantee anything, but if it's something obvious, I should be able to find out what's wrong."

Oh, it was fairly obvious.

"That would be great!"

I gave him directions to get to my house and went about fixing breakfast. I had already lost count of the cups of coffee I had consumed, so I figured I should take a break and make some sweet tea. While the tea was steeping along with a heaping helping of sugar, I fried up some bacon and eggs in one of Gran's fancy new nonstick pans. I made some toast to go with it since I wasn't really in the mood for biscuits.

I would have maybe twenty minutes by myself before this Tray guy got here. When he sees the damage that was done under the hood, I was hoping he would be able to tell me my battery was dead and that some asshole hadn't tampered with anything to render me immobile.

I ate breakfast slowly so by the time I finished washing my dishes, there was the loud sound of work boots thumping up my porch steps followed by three sharp raps to the front door. At first I started moving towards the door when I thought _this might be an ambush_. I carefully snuck out the back door, making sure the close the door gently, before tiptoeing around the side of the house. Still gripping the shotgun for dear life, my adrenaline was kicking into gear. I edged along until I could see the back of the guy's head. I took aim at the man's head and shouted, "Turn around and keep your hands where I can see them!" I'd probably been watching too many episodes of Cops.

I was shocked and relieved to see that it was only Rene, Arlene's boyfriend that came into the bar sometimes. He worked with Jason on the road crew and probably came here to relay some sort of message to me or Gran.

"Oh goodness Rene, I'm so sorry! Did you come to tell us something about Jason?" Until Gran came out as a vampire to the town, I figured it would be a good idea to pretend she was still nearby.

"Uh, yeah is your Gran still around? I needed to tell her something… about Jason. Could you lower that shotgun?" I set the gun down on the porch.

"Oh sorry, we've just been having trouble with harassing salesmen. Gran's out right now to try to talk with somebody in upper management about it." It wasn't exactly a lie.

"I'm sorry to hear that." He took a couple steps down the porch and snatched up the shotgun. Before I could even blink, he had it pointed at me.

"But I know you's lying. Your Gran's dead."

I paused to take in this new information. "The only way you could know that is…"

"I killed her. You shoulda been the one to die you fangbanging freak!" My fight or flight response was kicking in, when I heard him pump the for-end of the gun.

"You're not going anywhere bitch. You and me's gonna have some fun in the great outdoors." Without putting the gun down he uttered. "Start walking."

I held up my hands in surrender and turned around to start walking towards the woods of my backyard. He stayed right behind me with the barrel almost touching my head. His thoughts were a red snarly mess radiating childish glee at the prospect of what he planned to do to me.

I knew this wasn't going to end well for me. I could already see the possible activities he had thought of for this nature walk. We had walked into a clearing surrounded by trees about a third of a mile from my house.

"Put your hands behind your back." I turned in time to see him pull fuzzy purple handcuffs from his back pocket. I also knew whose those were from; Lafayette, the short order cook at Merlotte's.

I turned around to face him. "What did you do to Lafayette?"

"Nothing he didn't deserve. That black faggot was fucking vamps for blood. I went to his house to get some drugs and he tricked me into tasting that shit. I bashed his skull in with his baseball bat when he was getting high. His nigger ass is rotting away in hell."

I started to cry for Lafayette. I knew he was selling drugs, but I had no idea he was a "V" dealer too.

"Don't cry for him. You're gonna be joining him real soon. Turn around and put your hands behind your back." My mind flicked through any number of things I could do. I couldn't fight a shotgun so I decided to make a run for it.

I got about five feet before Rene tackled me to the ground. I felt the wind get knocked out of me in a rush. He was stronger and faster than I remembered. I guess working on a road crew will do that and I had managed to make him angrier.

"Go ahead." He wrestled with me until he had both my arms pinned behind my back. I felt the fuzzy handcuffs click into place and I started screaming for all I was worth. He rolled me over and I saw his fist a second before it made contact with my cheek.

"Shut up cunt!"

"Please don't hurt me. Please Rene. Stop." He rolled me back over like he didn't want to see me cry.

"I said shut up or I will make you shut up!" I couldn't stop the sobs that erupted from my mouth. I felt so utterly helpless. I could hear his thoughts about how horny he was and I tried to get away, but he held me down. I felt his erection digging into my backside and all my memories of Uncle Bartlett came flooding back.

"No no no no."

"Vampire whore!" He pulled down my pajama shorts and panties. His penis pressed against my folds as I felt something work its way around my neck. It was Rene's belt. The belt started to squeeze on my windpipe and I couldn't scream anymore.

"Oh, don't you like this? This was Maudette's favorite part. She asked to be choked. She just forgot how to ask me to stop." He chuckled at his own joke while I flailed around like a fish on dry land. He paused for a second.

"On second thought I don't want my dick anywhere that a vampire's been." The lack of oxygen made it difficult for me to process what he was saying until he started pushing his penis into my other hole. I screamed for all I was worth which ended up being little more than a hoarse whisper. I couldn't cry anymore. The pain was too much. I closed my eyes and tried to breathe. The faster he kept going the tighter the belt became around my neck until I was almost close to passing out. In a moment of clarity I prayed. "Please, God not like this."

I must have been hallucinating when I saw a wolf start to run towards us. I knew then I was going to die. I didn't realize that the wolf was real until I saw it lunge at Rene. I heard his screaming accompanied by my gasps of air and the pounding of my own heartbeat in my ears. I could feel the blood come rushing back to my head and I felt like I was going to be sick.

There was a sickening crunch that rendered all the world mute.

I wish I could have blacked out, but the adrenaline was kicking in. I rolled over choking uncontrollably. What I saw was a wolf still holding onto Rene's neck with his teeth swinging him to and fro like a chew toy. It stopped when it noticed me. I felt a strange sort of energy and then with a gloppy sound, the wolf transformed into a naked man.

That was when I fainted.

A/N: I'm sorry that you had to go through that. This was an incredibly hard chapter to write. Sookie is a strong person and she'll find a way to get through this. If you need something to cheer you up, I recommend ice cream and Immortal Beloved or Peace Offering. Please don't abandon me yet. I promise you things will get better.


	4. Chapter 4

I couldn't understand how the hell my day could start so normally and ended with me rescuing a gorgeous blonde from a rapist. I looked back down at a woman who I had never seen before today, yet I felt a need to protect her. Sookie Stackhouse.

"_Hmm, strange name_", was my first reaction when I originally scribbled down her information.

It had been an ordinary call on an ordinary Wednesday morning. The lady on the other end seemed kind of jittery and I had assumed she was just upset about her car not working. I cleaned some of the engine grease off my hands and changed my shirt. I had been in the middle of replacing a carborator. I didn't have anything else planned for the day. I had thought of getting some of the guys together for the game. Today was supposed to be LSU against Auburn college football.

I hauled myself into my tow truck and started down the beat up gravel road to get onto the highway going into Bon Temps. By the time that I arrived at the foot of Hummingbird Road, it had been about twenty three minutes since I left the shop.

As soon as I stepped out of the truck, I could sense something was wrong. There was a tension in the air. The mixture of smells was confusing. Blood and cleaning products were the first ones to hit. I could tell somebody had been trying to cover up something with the "pleasant" smell of Lemon Pledge. While those two scents were coming from the farm house, I could also detect coolant was leaking in copious amounts from the yellow Datsun parked on the side of the house.

I barely had any time to investigate before I heard the first screams. I could tell it was a woman and it sounded like she was fighting for her life. Without hesitating, I changed into my wolf form and started sprinting towards the sounds of (who I presumed to be) Miss Stackhouse's screams and the overwhelming odor of fear.

The sight I came upon made me furious. Some sick fuck was strangling her with a belt of all things. I had to repress a growl while I stalked around the perimeter waiting to make my move. Unfortunately, that's when this guy decided he was going to rape her as well. I felt ashamed that I didn't stop him from hurting her. I would make sure he didn't hurt her or anyone else again though.

I ran at full speed and tackled the bastard so he wasn't on top of her anymore. I saw him scrambling to reach for an antique shotgun and took the opportunity to grab a hold of his neck. He frantically tried to loosen my bite, but I clamped my jaw all the way down until I heard the crunch of his spinal cord.

I looked over at the woman I had saved. She still had her hands cuffed behind her back, gasping for air. A tendril of slobber connected her to the damp grass. Her eyes were looking far away. Though she was staring straight at me, she had gone somewhere else to cope with the attack. I shifted back into my human form and she outright fainted. Great.

I searched through dead guy's pants and shirt to find the key to those fuzzy purple handcuffs. I very carefully removed them from her wrists and pulled her sleep pants back up, noticing she had a nice ass and was very pretty overall, but now was really not the time to be considering these things.

After looking her over for any serious injuries, I hoisted her into my arms and started walking back towards the house. I thought over the only conversation we'd had over the phone. Had she known that somebody was coming for her?

Another faint smell wafted from her body that made me internally groan. It was vampire blood; not a whole lot, but enough to notice it. That just made this situation even more horrible. She was either a blood head who used vampire blood as a drug or she was somebody's pet.

Who the hell was I supposed to call about this? I wasn't a part of the pack. I preferred to go the lone wolf route. I tried to think of anybody with some kind of authority that I could call. A discreet call to Alcide told me what I already knew. This woman was in a lot of trouble, but I couldn't just leave her.

I also didn't know how I was supposed to explain the ripped up corpse in her woods to the police and I wouldn't get them involved at least until she woke up. It was then it occurred to me that I was now a murderer. I was used to taking down deer and rabbits on my full moons, but this was a person… well maybe at one time he was. I couldn't really feel any guilt about killing him. The scumbag deserved to die.

I gently settled Miss Stackhouse on her sofa and put a ratty afghan over her to keep her warm. It would be best to deal with cleanup before she woke up. I took a moment to just look at her. Her eyes were shut tight with a grimace on her face like she was in pain. I grabbed hold of her hand and gently squeezed.

"It's going to be alright." Instantly the scrunched up lines on her face smoothed out and her breathing returned to a normal rate. I could tell now that she was more than just pretty. She was freaking gorgeous. No wonder she was such a danger magnet. I let go of her hand and went to find some trash bags to dispose of the scumbag in the woods. As soon as I entered the kitchen, let alone looked at it, I could tell that's where the smell of all the blood and lemon pledge was coming from.

"I'll bet you're going to have quite the story to share when you wake up."

I found the trash bags and started back towards the clearing we had come from. The problem was I couldn't find it. I couldn't even smell the blood anymore. I walked around the area several times just scratching my head and wondering if I was losing it. I ended up tripping over a heavy branch and did a face plant in the grass.

I looked around to see what the hell I had tripped on when I saw the same shotgun the dick had tried to use on me earlier. I started to feel a lump in the back of my throat. If the shotgun was here, where the fuck did the body go?

I didn't have much time to contemplate that question before I heard her start screaming from inside the house. I grabbed the shotgun, just in case, and started sprinting towards the house.

A/N: So, what do you think of Tray? Can you guess who we'll be hearing from next? As always, I appreciate any feedback. It's kind of weird writing from so many different perspectives and making it believable. If you need something fun to read I recommend "The Love Boat, Viking Style". It's a little cheesy with all those moments that make you go "Awwww". I hope that helps.

Love,

PIP


	5. Chapter 5

I had arrived at the farm house too late. My dear Sookie was screaming in pain and I could do nothing without alerting her and the wolf to my presence. I had sworn to Adele that I would stay out of her life. It was becoming apparent that I needed to arrange for a body guard for my granddaughter. Her essence attracted too many supernatural beings.

While the Were carried her back into the house, I got rid of the remnants of that foul, pathetic man. His death had been too quick. I mused over what methods I would have used to make him suffer for harming my kin. I may not have existed for as long as Niall, but he had passed on his extensive knowledge of torture to my brother and I.

I left the gun, recognizing it as the one Adele had pointed at me when we first met in the nearby woods. Hearing the approach of the wolf, I teleported to Sookie's side to see if I could heal her. It's the least I could do to make up for my lack of action. I carefully placed my palm over her cheek and found the searing red and purple hues in her mind that pulsed with pain. I pictured my power as if it were sunlight, warming her soul.

The crease in her brow softened and she let out a contented sigh.

"I'm sorry I wasn't here in time my dear. That you could be subjected to such barbarous actions while within the protective wards I cast, is proof that this realm is not safe for you." I could not take her to Faery, as my father's enemies would seek to destroy her for her hybrid status.

I made a decision in that moment that Sookie should never feel this kind of pain again. She needed something, besides her telepathy, to protect her. Her essential spark was dormant, and it would ignite in a few years, but I believed she would need it sooner than that. I knelt beside her sleeping form, knowing that she might hate me for this. She is my kin and she must be protected at all times.

I leaned in to kiss her forehead. The energy that I sent forth acted as the kindling to her own inner spark. She awoke with a start and jumped over the couch to put a barrier between us.

"Who are you?"

"It is not my place to tell you. I promised your grandmother that I would allow her to tell you when the time was right."

She paused with an indiscernible look before meeting my eyes.

"She was killed last night."

My heart stopped, but before I could break into tears, Sookie let out a high-pitched scream. She held out her arms, finally taking in the brilliant glow that emanated from her. She rushed out of the room to find a mirror I assume. It was enough time for me to wipe away my tears before she ran back in to confront me.

"What have you done to me?"

"I simply ignited the spark that was already inside you. You should now have all your powers, though they may be a bit tricky to control at first. It is important that you stay calm Sookie."

"What do you mean powers? You thought mind-reading wasn't enough? Now I have to glow like a freaking lightning bug?" Her voice went up an octave in pitch and I could see several items on the mantelpiece start to move.

"You must breathe Sookie. You need to focus on staying calm. I do not wish to alarm you, but you're going to break something if you don't relax."

She turned to look at the same items behind her and her mouth fell open.

"You mean that I'm moving those picture frames with my mind?"

"Yes, of course."

It was at that unfortunate moment that the wolf returned to make my reunion with my granddaughter even more dangerous. His chest puffed out and he stood with Adele's shotgun taking in the scene before growling at me.

"Who are you?"

Sookie instead answered back, "Excuse me? Who are you and why are you holding my Gran's shotgun?"

"I'm Tray Dawson … from Dawson and Son Towing and Auto Repair Shop? You called me over half an hour ago and I guess I kind of got here just in time. Are you alright Miss Stackhouse?"

" Um, yes I'm fine. It's very nice to meet you Mr. Dawson."

"Please, call me Tray."

"As long as you call me Sookie. I can't thank you enough for what you did. May I ask why you own a wolf as a pet though?"

The Were scratched the back of his head nervously. "Well normally I wouldn't tell somebody I just met, but I get the vibe that you're not exactly human either."

I was becoming increasingly annoyed at how long this conversation was turning out to be. Staying in this realm for too long could be dangerous.

"He's a werewolf and I'm a fairy. Now that I've covered the fairly obvious, would you please leave? I have something rather important to discuss with Sookie."

"You can't just throw somebody out of my house!"

Before anybody could react I used my magic to pop the wolf to his car and shut all the doors and windows.

"Who the hell do you think you are? That was just plain rude!"

"I'm your grandfather, Sookie."

She shook her head profusely. "I thought my mother's parents were both dead."

"I'm not your mother's father. I am your father's father."

"That can't be. Gran would have never been unfaithful to GrandDaddy Earl."

"Your grandmother, Adele, was a loyal woman, but she had been heartbroken that she could not have children with her human husband."

"I don't want to hear anymore from you. Whatever happened in the past, I want to hear it from my Gran."

"I thought you said she was killed."

"She was. I found her stabbed to death last night in the kitchen. I asked my friend to save her, to turn her. We won't know until two nights from now whether it worked."

"You let a vampire touch her?" I was filled with seething rage and agony in that instant. "You polluted my Adele's veins, her being, with that poison?"

"I didn't want her to die!"

"After the horrors she experienced, she should have been allowed to die. She would have died soon. I have come to terms with the idea that my love would leave this world someday, and me with it." I looked out at the sun descending, reminding me of the finite time I had left.

"Nothing good can come from what you have done. She will become a bloodthirsty monster. She will want to drain both of us. She won't have the ability to stop. Vampires are dangerous creatures for us to be around. They seek out our blood Sookie. With your spark in full bloom, you will never be able to see her again." I will never be able to see her again.

"You must tell me where she is buried."

Sookie started sobbing uncontrollably. "I don't know."

"You WILL tell me where she is Sookie. I do not have time for you to decide to tell me. Though I desire to know you as my grandchild, do not mistake me. You have made the selfish decision that your grandmother should walk in darkness for the rest of her days and I will not sit idly by while your horrendous idea comes to fruition."

"It's not selfish or horrendous. Gran shouldn't have died. He came to kill me and found her instead. I saw it all in his head. She deserves the chance to live. Maybe I didn't have the right to have Bill turn her, but you don't have the right to kill her again. She deserves a choice. I don't care what you say or do. She deserves the choice to live… or at least be undead … or die."

Though her words made sense, I couldn't help the feeling that this entire situation was wrong, or that none of this would have happened if I had been allowed into my family's life before my son died. I could have protected him from his death, just like I could have protected Adele.

"Sookie, my dear, though I can't imagine Adele choosing the lifestyle of a vampire, perhaps you are right." An idea appeared out of nowhere. I knew how to correct all of this, how to truly give Adele a choice, other than vampirism.

I stood up from the sofa and looked around the small farmhouse, searching for the dense feeling in the air. From where I was, I could detect a soft vibrating in my veins. It had been many years since I had been this near to it, but I had no doubt she had hidden it somewhere upstairs.

As I made my way up the stairs, I fervently prayed that it could work, even though she would be a vampire.

"Excuse me? Whoever you are, what do you think you're doing?"

As I opened the door, I could feel the pull of my own magic coming from an old desk. I pulled out a drawer that I noticed was not completely shut all the way. "My name is Fintan. I am a prince of the Sky Fairies from the royal House of Brigant."

I pried the false bottom loose and pulled out the letter meant for Sookie and a velvet pouch. Loosening the drawstrings, I drew out the emerald colored object and sighed. I heard Sookie gasp in appreciation of its beauty.

"What is that?"

"This could very well be the answer to saving Adele."

A/N: Wow, I'm sort of stunned by how many turns this chapter took. Every time that I sit down to write with an idea of where I'm going, my muse decides to switch things up. What do you think of Fintan's POV?


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